Arthur I. Cyr: John McCain’s best legacy

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Sep 4, 2018 at 10:13 AMSep 4, 2018 at 10:13 AM

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Vietnam War hero and POW, 2008 Republican presidential nominee, committed but pragmatic conservative legislator, has concluded a remarkable career with the grace of his departure. He was hardly a saint, but unlike many politicians — and other people — never pretended to be one.

Senator McCain was at his most eloquent when under duress. For example, while in the Hanoi Hilton prison in Vietnam, he refused any special privilege even though tortured by North Vietnamese captors. He was at his best when he went out of his way to praise rival Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), and when he lost that election and called for national unity.

McCain was at his most inspiring at the end; facing death, he praised our great country and the opportunities Americans enjoy. During McCain’s life, he could be angry, confrontational, rough and sarcastic, but not at the important times when behavior most mattered.

Finally, he was not a hater. Famously, in the intense 2008 presidential campaign he corrected a woman clearly highly upset regarding Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. She declared that she could not trust Obama, “an Arab.”

Without hesitation, McCain defended his election campaign opponent as “a good family man, a citizen” who was on the other side of policy and political fences. That was an exemplary act.

Senator McCain was extremely active in both domestic and foreign policy arenas. Regarding the former, he and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) cosponsored bipartisan legislation to try to rein in the influence of money in politics. He was also extremely engaged in immigration reform, a complex subject that involves both domestic and foreign policy dimensions. Arguably, he was most effective on a sustained basis in foreign policy.

Influential and prolific journalist Max Boot, an expert on foreign and especially defense policies, served as an adviser in McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. Boot has written an analysis of Senator McCain’s legacy in The Washington Post that stands out in the flood of current commentaries about this important leader. Above all, he praises the man’s sheer physical courage. Additionally, he emphasizes an authenticity that contrasts with other politicians, past and present.

He describes Senator McCain’s serious, sustained study and knowledge of history. While they were both on a flight to the Munich Security Conference, he found McCain focused on reading a challenging history book, for education and not for show.

Up until a few decades ago, the vulgarity and simple-mindedness of what is termed “reality” television excluded such programming from major media. Now, reality TV is mainstream, and reality TV personalities are in our national and presidential politics, and now in the White House. That trend stands out as disturbing for our nation.

All withdrew from contention relatively early. We honor veterans in rhetorical and symbolic terms more than in the voting booth. Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush defeated two Vietnam War veterans, Vice President Al Gore and Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the latter targeted with slander. Similarly, Bill Clinton defeated two highly decorated World War II combat veterans, President George H. W. Bush and Senator Robert Dole (R-KS).

Consider sympathetically candidates who have military experience. These women and men understand reality.— Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of “After the Cold War.” Contact acyr@carthage.edu.